The present compositions and methods are directed to applying effective amounts of flumioxazin and gibberellic acid to an area in need of weed control.
One of the major concerns of crop plant growers is the presence of undesired plants, such as weeds, in the area where the crop plant is grown. Weeds contribute to decreased crop yields because the crop plants must compete with weeds for limited available resources such as sunlight, soil nutrients, and water. Weeds can also host pests that can increase disease rates in crop plants.
One weed in particular, Palmer amaranth, Amaranthus palmeri, is an aggressive grower and prolific seed producer and accordingly is a threat to crop plants. It can quickly outgrow and dominate many crop plants if not carefully controlled. Recently, Palmer amaranth has shown resistance to the common herbicide glyphosate. If a grower finds that the Palmer amaranth is glyphosate resistant, the grower has little hope of controlling an infestation. There are no chemicals that will control large, glyphosate resistant Palmer amaranth that emerge late in the season.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a highly effective and safe residual weed control method, especially for the treatment of Palmer amaranth and other amaranth weeds such as waterhemp (Amaranthus rudis) and Amaranthus quitensis. 